Our long, cold and snow-filled winter is finally drawing to a close. Even for those of us in Minnesota who are familiar with harsh winters, this one has been especially difficult. As we emerge from our seasonal “hibernation” to welcome the spring sunshine, what will greet us?
One of the first things you should do is walk around your home and yard and assess the damage that winter has done, and evaluate what can be repaired and what needs to be replaced; and which projects must be done immediately and which can wait a few weeks.
Start from the top down. Roofs can take a terrible beating through the winter. They are subjected to snow, ice and battering winds. If you can do it safely, climb up and look around for obvious damage. Better yet, have a professional roofer do an inspection. Most will do it for free.
They will look for obvious damage like loose and missing shingles, penetrating holes, sagging gutters, loose chimney bricks, etc. But a roofing contractor can also spot less obvious trouble, such as blocked vents, loose or missing flashing and worn out materials. With spring rains in the forecast roof repairs should be high on the priority list.
Working your way down, examine your home’s siding. If your home has wood clapboard or shingle siding, look for loose or missing boards, cracks or splits, or stains that may indicate moisture. For other siding materials, such as vinyl, aluminum or stucco, look for cracks, dents and gaps that may allow spring rains and wind into your home.
Go around and open windows and doors to make sure the frames have not warped or split during the cold weather. Now is a good time to replace any older windows, particularly if they are single-pane glass or aluminum framed, which are not very energy efficient.
Finally, examine the yard and driveway for debris, gouges, cracks and other winter damage that can be exacerbated when we get heavy spring rains.
Getting spring home repairs out of the way early will leave time later on for more enjoyable pursuits like spending time with friends and family, or taking in a Twins game in the warm sunshine!
Call Twin Cities Siding and Roofing at 651-255-2844, or visit our web site at: tcsidingprofessionals.com
